Energy consumption in telecommunications networks is a significant expense. Energy is spent on numerous activities including a mobile device moving from a different network system, layer, or node for communication. For example, when mobile devices move from one radio access technology (RAT) network to another, there is significant latency and processing involved in the synchronization process due to the mobile devices' measurements and identification of the new networks. Further, much energy is expended by mobile devices working to initiate communication with the new networks and to obtain information once communication is established. Further still, energy may be wasted by trying to establish communication with a network node that is not ready to establish communication with a mobile device, e.g., network nodes in a power safe mode
Further, significant delays are typically incurred during call hand-off between network nodes in different RATs leading possibly to dropped calls and significant performance penalties. These delays are mostly due to both the routing delay incurred as the call traverses multiple network entities in the RATs and the synchronization delays at the mobile device.
Further, communication between network nodes is often desirable, but not necessarily possible. For example, it may be desirable to communicate messages with another node to have the node turn on or off. Communication mechanisms between network nodes for these purposes may not exist or may not be standardized. For example, for communication of network energy messages between nodes of different radio access technologies, messages may be assumed to be easily carried using the Resource Information Management (RIM) based signaling, but this may not be true since RIM is optional in the 3GPP standard and may not be implemented by every carrier network.